2008 HONDA ODYSSEY Owners Manual

The driver’s advanced front airbag
system includes a seat position
sensor under the seat. If the seat is
too f ar f orward, the airbag will
inf late with less f orce, regardless of
the severity of the impact.
Your f ront airbags are also advanced
airbags. The main purpose of this
feature is to help prevent airbag-
caused injuries to short drivers and
children who ride in f ront.
For both advanced airbags to work
properly:
Occupants must sit upright and
wear their seat belts properly.
Do not spill any liquids on or
under the seats, cover the sensors,
or put any cargo or metal objects
under the f ront seats.
Failure to f ollow these instructions
could damage the sensors or prevent
them f rom working properly. If there is a problem with the sensor,
the SRS indicator will come on, and
the airbag will inf late in the normal
manner regardless of the driver’s
seating position.
Second-row passengers should not
put their f eet under the f ront seats. The passenger’s advanced f ront
airbag system has weight sensors
under the seat. Although Honda
does not encourage carrying an
inf ant or small child in f ront, if the
sensors detect the weight of an
inf ant or small child (up to about 65
lbs or 29 kg), the system will
automatically turn the passenger’s
front airbag off.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Advanced Airbags
30
DRIVER’S
SEAT
POSITION
SENSOR
PASSENGER’S
SEAT WEIGHT
SENSOR
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If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid acceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inf late
either the driver’s or the passenger’s
side airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the af f ected side.
When the airbag is turned of f , a
‘‘passenger airbag of f ’’ indicator in
the center of the dashboard comes
on (see page ). Be aware that objects placed on the
passenger’s seat can also cause the
airbag to be turned off.
If the weight sensors detect there is
no passenger in the f ront seat, the
airbag will be off. However, the
passenger airbag of f indicator will
not come on.
To ensure that the passenger’s
advanced front airbag system will
work properly,
This includes:
A second row passenger pushing
or pulling on the back of the f ront
passenger’s seat. Moving the f ront seat f orcibly
back against cargo on the seat, the
f loor behind it, or a f olded second
row seat.
Hanging heavy items on the f ront
passenger seat, or placing heavy
items in the seat-back pocket.
Also,makesurethefloormatbehind
the f ront passenger’s seat is properly
positioned on the f loor (see page ). If it is not, the mat may
interf ere with the proper operation
of the f ront passenger’s seat and its
sensors.
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How Your Side A irbags Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
do not do anyt hing
t hat would increase or decrease t he weight on the f ront passenger’s seat.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger’s side, the passenger’s
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection f rom the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.If the side airbag of f indicator comes
on (see page ), have the
passenger sit upright. Once the
passenger is out of the airbag’s
deployment path, the system will
turn the airbag back on, and the
indicator will go out.
There will be some delay between
the moment the passenger moves
into or out of the airbag deployment
pathandwhentheindicatorcomes
on or goes of f .
A f ront seat passenger should not
use a cushion or other object as a
backrest. It may prevent the cutof f
system f rom working properly.
Your vehicle has a side airbag cutof f
system designed primarily to protect
a child riding in the f ront passenger’s
seat.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in f ront, if the
position sensors detect a child has
leaned into the side airbag’s
deployment path, the airbag will shut
off.
Objects placed on the f ront
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut of f . Thesideairbagmayalsoshutoff if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag’s
deployment path. 35Side A irbag Cut of f Syst em
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
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If the impact is on the passenger’s
side, the passenger’s side curtain
airbag will inflate even if there are no
occupants on that side of the vehicle.
In a moderate to severe side impact,
sensors will detect rapid acceleration
and signal the control unit to
instantly inflate the side curtain
airbag and activate the seat belt
tensioner on the driver’s or the
passenger’s side of the vehicle. If the rollover sensor detects your
vehicle is about to roll over, it signals
the control unit, which immediately
deploys both side curtain airbags and
activates both f ront seat belt
tensioners.
The airbag on the passenger’s side
will deploy, and the seat belt
tensioner will activate, even if there
are no passengers on that side of the
vehicle.To get the best protection f rom the
side curtain airbags, occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
In a Side Impact
In a Rollover
How Your Side Curtain A irbags
Work
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
33
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If the indicator comes on at any
other time, or does not come on at all,
you should have the system checked
by your dealer. For example:If the SRS indicator does not come
on after you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
If the indicator stays on after the
engine starts.
If the indicator comes on or
flashesonandoff whileyoudrive.
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, this indicator
comes on f or several seconds then
goes of f . This tells you the system is
working properly.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbags and seat belt tensioners
may not work properly when you
need them. You will also see a ‘‘CHECK
AIRBAG SYSTEM’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page
).
The SRS indicator alerts you to a
potential problem with your airbags
or seat belt tensioners.
88On Touring models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the SRS Indicator
Works
34
Ignoring the SRS indicator can
result in serious injury or death
if the airbag systems or
tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS indicator alerts you to
a possible problem.
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CONT INUED
When you turn the ignition switch to
the ON (II) position, the indicator
should come on f or several seconds
andthengooff (seepage ).If it
doesn’t come on, stays on, or comes
on while driving without a passenger
in the front seat, have the system
checked.
You will also see a ‘‘PASSENGER
SIDE AIRBAG OFF’’ message on the
multi-inf ormation display (see page). This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s f ront airbag has been
shut of f because weight sensors
detect about 65 lbs (29 kg) or less
(the weight of an inf ant or small
child) on the f ront passenger’s seat.
It does there is a problem
with the airbag. Be aware that objects placed on the
f ront seat can cause the indicator to
come on.
If no weight is detected on the f ront
seat, the airbag will be automatically
shut of f . However, the indicator will
not come on.
The passenger airbag of f indicator
may come on and of f repeatedly if
the total weight on the seat is near
the airbag cutof f threshold.
If an adult or teenage passenger is
riding in f ront, move the seat as f ar
to the rear as possible, and have the
passenger sit upright and wear the
seat belt properly.
This indicator alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
automatically shut off. It does
mean there is a problem with your
side airbags.
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On Touring models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
How the Passenger Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
How the Side
Airbag Of f
Indicator Works
not mean
not
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
35
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
INDICATOR
Canada
U.S.
CanadaU.S.
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Do not try to remove or replace
anyairbagbyyourself.Thismust
be done by an authorized dealer or
a knowledgeable body shop.
Your airbag systems are virtually
maintenance f ree, and there are no
parts you can saf ely service.
However, you must have your
vehicle serviced if:
If the indicator comes on with no
f ront seat passenger and no objects
on the seat, or with an adult riding
there, something may be interf ering
with the weight sensors. Look f or
and remove:
Any items under the f ront
passenger’s seat.
Any object(s) hanging on the seat
or in the seat-back pocket.
Any object(s) touching the rear of
the seat-back. Any airbag
that has deployed must be
replaced along with the control
unit and other related parts. Any
seat belt tensioner that activates
must also be replaced. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. If you ignore this
indication, your airbags may not
operate properly.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor, the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors, the
f ront seat belt tensioners, and all
seat belts worn during a crash to
make sure they are operating
properly.
If no obstructions are f ound, have
your vehicle checked by a dealer as
soon as possible.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Airbag Service
An airbag ever inf lates. T he SRS indicat or alert s you t o a
problem.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t osevere impact .
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Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
If water or
another liquid soaks into the seat-
back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutof f system f rom working
properly. This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009.
Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact.
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not t amper wit h airbagcomponent s or wiring f or anyreason.
Do not expose the f ront passenger’sseat-back to liquid. Do not remove or modif y a f ront
seat without consulting yourdealer.
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ingyour dealer.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
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